Improvement in padlocks



JOHN H. AMES, or STAMFORD, ooNNnorIcUT.

Letters Patent No. 110,94d, dated January 17, 1871 antedated December 31, 1870.

IMPROVEMENT lN PADLOCKS.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making pafl: of the same.

To all whom it nmyconccrn:

Be it known that I, JOHN H. AMES, of Stamford, in the county of l airficld and State of Connecticut, have invented a new and Improved Pad-Lock; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being bad to the accompanying drawing and to the letters of reference marked thereon making a part of this specification. Y

The object of this invention is to so construct a padlock as will combine strength with simplicity in the manufacture, and safety and durability when in use.

In the accompanying drawiug' Figure 1 represents a side view of my luck with the face-plate removed.

Figure 2, an edge view of the same in section.

Figure 3, a plan or top view of the oscillating tumbler.

Figure 4, a side view of said tumbler.

Figure 5, an edge view of the same in section.

Figure 6, a front view of the hooked lever.

Figure 7, a planor top view of same.

Figure 8, a lowcredge view of lock-case, showing key-hole.

Figure 9, a half-front view. of lock with face-plate removed, showing stop-spring.

Figure 10, a plan or top view of circular fence.

Figure 11, an edge View of same.

Figure 12, a side view of key.

Figure 13, an' edge viewof same.

Figure 14, a side view of hasp.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the drawing. Y

A represents theshcll or casing of a padlock. To the inner side of the casing A is fitted, in a countersink made for that purpose, the circular fence I), so that said fence may revolve or turn freely within the countersink. The lower edge of this circular fence has a raised lip, which is provided with a series of projecting teeth or notches, c c c c c, as shown in fig. 11, audthero is also fixed to'said case the hooked lever O, in such manner as will allow it to freely turn on its axis or spindle i; and to the inner side of the frame of the-shell or casing is also fixed the spring 7;, the upper or free end of this spring engaging with the under side of the pivoted end of the hasp B.

Into the casiugA is fitted the oscillating tumbler K, the upper and lower ends of which are curved to such radius as will enable said ends, when in place, to conform to the shape of the interior of the casing A,

and snugly fit therein. The rear side of this tumbler,

or the side thereof that comes in contact with the hack of the shell or casing A, is provided witha series of perpendicular slots, in m m m, and with a curved groove or channel I, and on the other side of said tumbler, and in the direct-ion of its length, is formed a recess, w, for the reception of the key hereinafter referred to, and also on said other or reverse side are formed the vertical openings or channels a n n 12-.

Into the perpendicular slots m m m m of the tumbler K are fitted the sliders gg g g. These sliders are of such dimensions as will enable them to accurately fit into said slots,'and be flush with the surface of the tumbler K, and on the upper end of each of said sliders are formed the projections 1) p111), which, when the sliders are fitted into their respective slots, protrude through the side of the tumbler. On the outer edges of said sliders, and near the lower ends of the same, and at varying distances, are formed the notches r r r 'r.

Now it will be readily seen that when the tumbler K is inserted into the shell or casing A, one side of said tumbler is closely in contact with the lower end of the hooked lever O, keeping said lever in position and hooked into the notch s of the hasp B, thus producing the lock and the tumbler K, when in this position, cannot be disturbed therefrom, except in the manner hereinafter referred to, for the sliders g g g g interpose between the notches c o c o c of the circular fence I: and hold said tumbler in place, and effectually prevent its oscillating or turning.

When it becomes necessary to unlock the mechanism, a flat key, D, having bits 1 2 3 4 cut on the end thereof, is inserted into the opening or key hole t formed in 'the under side of the shell or casing A, until said bits are brought in contact with the projecting ends 12 1) p p of the sliders g g g y, when the sliders are pushed upward until the notches r '11 r rin each of said sliders are brought to coincide wi h the curved groovdor channel Z, when, no obstale being offered to the notches c c o o c of the fence I), a slight turn of the key D to the,lef t will oscillate or move the tumbler K, which thus trips the hooked lever C, disengaging the hooked end of the hasp B and allowing it to fly or spring open by the action of the spring 7.. v

.The key then being moved to its former straight position, the tumbler is rightcd when the spring 1:, fixed to the side of said tumbler, throws the hooked end of the lever G in such position as will enable the beveled end of the hasp B, when pushed downward, to press said lever back until the hooked end thereof engages with the uotch s of said hasp, when the mechanism is locked, audit will be observed that this locking is effected without the aid of the key D, which is only to he used when unlocking the same.

The tumbler being in this way brought to the locked position, and the key withdrawn, the spiral springs c e c e, which'arc fitted in the openings'or channels a n n n of the tumbler K, force down the sliders g y g y, when the notches 'r 'r r r of said sliders will be non-coincident with the curved channel I, and allow said sliders to fill the spaces between the notches c c c c c in the fence I), and retain the mechanism in its locked position, as before described.

In order to prevent the tumbler K from being forced out of its position by unfair means, I attach to the inside of the lock-casing the stop-spring d, extending diagonally from the side of the lock to the top of the tumbler, in such manner as will enable it to act as a brace from the top of the tumbler to the side of the ease, and thus prevent the tumbler from being forced aside and the hasp unlocked, 4

It will be observed that when the true key is inserted into the lock the tumbler K oscillates or moves over the circular fence I), while said fence, remains stationary or in place, and the stop-spring dis kept from engaging with the tumbler by the projection 1 on the side of said fence; but when'a false key is inserted, in an effort to unlock the hasp in an unfair way, the tumbler and fence oscillate together, and the spring d, no longer being kept out of contact by the projection y, engages with the tumbler and prevents its being forced so as to unlock the llasp, and to prevent the tumbler from being forced aside in another direction the rightlower end of the same is so constructed as to come in contact with the fixed end of the diagonal spring (I.

To insure the tumbler and fence returning together to their proper place when the tumbler has been moved for operating the lock, :1. small stud, h, is fixed to the face of the fence, against which the tumbler comes in contact, so that both tumbler and fence are righted together.

To further render my lock unpickable, 1 form on the sides of the sliders g g g 9 false notches 0 0 o 0, so that when a wire or other instrument is inserted into the lock, and the sliders thereby raised, said false notches will allow the sides of the notches c o cc 0 of the curved fence to enter therein, and the person thus operating the lock will be unable to determine when the true notches r r r r of the sliders coincide with the curved move or channel I preparatory to unlocking the mac ianism. And Iattaeh to the side of the oscillating tumbler K the projection j, to keep the stopspring d clear of the projection y on the circular fence I) when the mechanism is locked, so that an attempt to pick the lock by feeling with a wire, &c.-, is thwarted by the fence moving away from the tumbler K.

The mechanism of my padlock, as bereinbefore described, may be applied to locks of any description, and therefore I do not wish to confine myself to its application to padlocks only.

Having thus described my invention,

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The spring-brace 11, in combination with the tumbler and fence, constructed as described, and provided with projections lr-yj, for the purpose set forth.

2. A safety-padlock, consisting of the case A, circular, oscillating, and notched fence 1), oscillating tumblcr K, sliders g g g g, springs e e c e, and springs (I, It and n, hooked lever U, hasp B, in combination with the flat key D, bitted on its sides or end, constructed and arrangedsubstantially in the manner and for the purposes herein set forth.

3 The combination of a circular, oscillating, and nbtche'd fence I) and projection y with stop-spring (Z, flat key D, hooked lever O, and hasp 13, substantially in the manner and for the purpose set forth.

JOHN H. AMES.

Witnesses:

H. L. Warrnnnnne, G. M. Pmme'rox. 

